Professional Development & Events

FDRA is the footwear industry’s leading educator, hosting a variety of events from webinars to major summits that focus on industry challenges, best practices, and common solutions. When you’re involved in FDRA and participate in events, you stay connected and empowered to navigate the constantly changing global footwear landscape.

Footwear Customs & Trade Working Group Meeting

New York, New York | Tuesday, January 29, 2019

FDRA MEMBERS ONLY: Please join us at this important meeting to look at key customs and trade issues impacting our industry. We will cover a range of topics including the new Congress, MTBs, athletic classification, as well as have a robust discussion on challenges and collective solutions. Bring your new samples for free classification!

Sourcing, Supply Chain & Factory Compliance Working Group Call

Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 2:00 pm EDT

FDRA MEMBERS ONLY: Please join us for a Sourcing, Supply Chain & Factory Compliance Working Group call on Wednesday, January 30 at 2:00 pm EDT. On the call, we will discuss FDRA’s Shoe Waste initiative, the launch of an RFP, and other priorities for 2019.

Footwear Retail and Government Relations Working Group Call

Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 2:00 pm EDT

FDRA MEMBERS ONLY: Please join us for a Retail Working Group and Government Relations Working Group Call on Thursday, January 31 at 2:00 pm EDT. On the call, we will discuss developing strategies to combat unauthorized sellers on third party websites, managing relationships with e-commerce partners, and reviewing USTR Special 301 report comment priorities.

African American Footwear Forum and Celebration

Washington, DC | February 20, 2019

Inviting footwear professionals and supporters to a forum to share stories, ideas and to create a dialog around the influence, leadership, and passion provided by African Americans in the global footwear industry. Explore ways to collaboratively establish industry goals in the development of African American talent at all levels.

Boston Brews & Shoes Footwear Industry Networking & Charity Event

Boston, Massachusetts | Wednesday, March 6, 2019

A networking event for footwear professionals across the industry in the Boston footwear community. Come, grab a brew and catch up—we will raffle items with all collected proceeds benefiting the Two Ten Footwear Foundation.

Footwear Innovation Working Group Meeting

Wilmington, Massachusetts | Thursday, March 7, 2019

FDRA MEMBERS ONLY: Please join us at this important meeting (At the NE Materials Show) to look at key issues impacting our industry and innovations providing solutions. We will discuss 3D issues: software, implementation, standards, and more, as well as new sustainability initiatives changing how we design and produce shoes.

Global Footwear Executive Summit

Hong Kong | Tuesday, March 12, 2019

This special event for factory executives and footwear company professionals in Asia will cover the shifting sourcing landscape, innovations and automation taking place in factories, and compliance and quality control best practices driving factory improvements.

THE Footwear Executive Summit: Transformation

Washington, DC | Wednesday–Thursday, April 3–4, 2019

The summit for executives, directors, and managers. This year will feature keynotes and industry panels on how changing consumer demand is causing retail shifts, as well as politics and trade keynotes. Last year’s event had nearly 200 attendees.

FDRA 75th Anniversary Party

Sourcing & Sustainability Summit

New York, New York | Monday and Tuesday, July 22–23, 2019

This summit will help sourcing and supply chain execs, directors and professionals understand shifts to footwear production from experts and industry leaders. This year will focus on factory automation and innovations changing the footwear development and production process.

Footwear Materials & Innovation Summit

Portland, Oregon | Tuesday, August 13, 2019

This event is for for materials specialists, designers, developers, and sourcing teams. We cover material trends, sourcing insights, challenges and best practices in managing and commercializing materials. Feature speakers include industry leaders and professors leading cutting edge research into the next wave of materials development. Networking events and material research and production labs tours included!

Footwear Trade Distribution and Customs (FTDC) Conference

Long Beach, California | Sunday–Tuesday, October 27–29, 2019

The largest and longest running footwear conference in the USA. This event includes 3 days of in-depth discussion on supply chains from ports and service providers, trade and import compliance, and customs classification issues and sample classifications. If you import shoes, you cannot afford to miss this event.

Fashion Footwear Design Summit

New York, New York | Tuesday, November 12, 2019

This fashion footwear design summit is focused on helping development leads and shoe designers explore and understand new software, tech, trends and tools changing how we design shoes in a speed-to-market world.

Shoe Courses For Designers and Pattern Makers

New York City | Boston | Los Angeles

The Arsutoria School believes that a career in the field of shoes must be funded on a deep knowledge of the product. Arsutoria offers courses in the field of shoe design, shoe pattern making and shoe manufacturing.

FDRA will issue no refunds for cancelled registrations for its summits less than 30 days prior to the event date (this includes FDRA’s executive summit in DC, Asia summit, sourcing summit, materials and innovation summit, and FTDC). There are no refunds issued for cancelled registrations less than 48 hours from workshops. FDRA members can transfer their registration to another attendee for the same event. Any questions on this policy should be directed to Andy Polk.